Shovels and like hand tools



Sep. 24, i963 c. w. McDoNALD SHOVELS AND LIKE HAND TOOLS 2 Sheets-Sheet1 Filed March 14, 1962 Sept. 24, 1963 c. w. MCDONALD 3,104,908

sHovELs AND LIKE HAND TooLs Filed March 14, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Iawezzoai- 022412428@ MaDowZd;

United States Patent O 3,104,908 SHVELS AND LIKE HAND TOLS Charles W.McDonald, Belpre, Ohio, assigner to McDonough Co., doing business as 0.Ames Co., Parkersburg, W. Va., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 14,1962, Ser. No. 179,692 1 Claim. (5l. 294-54) This invention relates tohand tools having a blade or head and .a handle, and in particular toshovels, and the object is to provide a simple and efficientconstruction whereby the handle and blade may be iirmly and permanentlyunited not only by one unskilled in the use of tools, but even by oneunprovided with any tools.

An important advantage is that the blades and handles may be shippedseparately in more compact and convenient packages, The assembly mayoccur at the point of ultimate sale or a blade and a handle may bedelivered separately to the ultimate user. He can make a perfect andpermanent assembly, although he has no access to even such simpleequipment as a vise, a hammer, a boring tool, a drive punch or a wrench,and perhaps would be unable to drive a nail etliciently, much less toset a rivet.

Because it Idisplays the advantages of the invention in marked degree, Ihave shown in the accompanying drawings asian example of its applicationa snow shovel of the type sold to householders for domestic use with ablade of large area typically formed from `a thin sheet of aluminum.'Ihe demands on such a shovel do not compare with those on a shovel forhandling lore, for example, or one that is a production tool in regularuse throughout long periods, but it should be a unitary ltool not looseor wobbly or likely to become so, and durable or its kind.

The invention will be well understood by reference to the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying tdrawingsrof anillustrative embodiment of the invention as applied to such a snowshovel:

FIG. l is a perspective view of the completed shovel as seen from theback side;

FIG. 2 is a section on line 2 2 lof FIG. 1 on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevation of the shovel as seen from the backside;

FIG. 4 is a section on line 4 4 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a section on line 5--5 of FIG. 2.

The words down, up, forward and rearward and their derivatives are usedfrom the point of view of a user holding the shovel in his hands readyto take up a shovelful.

Referring to the drawings, the snow shovel herein shown as an example ofthe invention comprises a blade B of thin sheet aluminum, having a steeledge E and reinforced by expressed ribs R. The handle H in this case isa cylinder of wood, provided with a cross grip G of the D type. Theblade is not completely liat, bu-t curved or bent so that the rearwardpart is displaced upwardly and forwardly to provide a proper lift in theshovel.

In the shovel illustrated the handle is tit-ted into a socket dened bythe cooperation with the rearward portion of the blade of a fitting F,which fitting is formed of relatively heavy metal with a downwardlyexpressed central portion and an out-turned ange 12 secured at the backof the blade by rivets 14 to dene a socket at the back of the blade forreceiving the end of the handle. Such a construction broadly is old inshovels of this type wherein the end of the handle is received in asocket provided between a fitting and the overlying portion of theblade, in which socket the handle has been secured by vertical rivets.Even if we assume the holes to be preformed, the ordinary purchaser of asnow shovel could not conveniently line them up and would be quiteunable to make a workmanlike job of heading over iron rivets.

Referring now to FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, the rear portion of the fitting Fcomprises a semi-cylindrical portion corresponding to the diameter ofthe handle from which depend tangentially sides out-turned `to form partof the liange 12 and the blade, as seen in FIG. 4, extends like a beambetween these parts of the flange. The blade may have a slightdepression 16 stamped therein to tit the upward side of the handle endwhen inserted. While the socketv so provided is not completelycylindrical so that it iits the handle throughout its circumference, itprovides a nice fit for the handle. As seen in FIG. 2 this rearwardportion of the fitting extends forwardly for a distance corresponding tothat portion of -the length of the handle which it is desired to securetherein. The forward portion of the fitting may then be curved tocorrespond to the curve of the back of the blade and be ltaperedupwardly and sideways .as seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, providing a strongcentral rib supporting the central portion of the blade for a largefraction of its depth.

The handle receiving rearward portion of the fitting is provided with .alongitudinal keyway 18 consisting (see FIGS. 2, 4 and 5) of twooutwardly expressed ribs deining inwardly facing grooves between whichthe keyway is interrupted by the portion 20 which desirably has anabrupt shoulder 'at the forward side and a more oblique shoulder .at therearward side for a purpose which will appear. The handle is providedwith a cooperating key which in the present instance is formed by thecrossbar 22 of a staple, the crossbar being of a size to lit in thekeyway, the staple having legs 24 driven directly into the wood of thehandle.

To Aassemble the handle with the blade the lower end of the latter(viewing FIG. 2) s presented to the end of the socket with the key 22opposite the open end of the keyway as seen in dotted lines in FIG. 2.When the key enters the keyway it properly positions the handle`angularly so that Ithe cross grip of the D handle G is in the properposition. The tit of the handle in the socket is a nice one, not a looseone, but the shovel and handle may be stood on end with the grip endtoward the oor and a series of taps against the floor will drive it intothe socket. Perhaps the central portion of the blade, bridging the sidesof the iitting, springs a little during this operation, but the actionis not easily perceptible if it occurs, and the blade is not permanentlybent. When the crossbar of the staple reaches the interruption 20,inward movement is not ycompletely blocked, and the tapping actioncauses the crossbar of the staple to pass the interruption and enter theforward end of the keyway beyond the abrupt shoulder as the handle goeshome, which may be indicated if desired by a mark on the handle or anomission in the finish of the handle on the end which is to be receivedin the socket. The cooperation of the key and keyway prevent twisting ofthe blade about the axis of the handle and the engagement of the keywith the abrupt shoulder of part 20 effectively resists withdrawal ofthe handle under such strains `as the shovel is subjected to 1n use.

There are no loose parts. No skill is required to assemble the handleand blade and no tools, but a permanently connected handle having `alife comparable to that of the shovel is provided. In the ycase of ahandle broken oi short as might happen, for instance if the handle wasrun over by the wheel of an automobile, it would be possible to split upand withdraw the stump without damaging the socket and a new handle witha similar key could be assembled.

-I am aware that the invention may be embodied in other specic formswithout departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and Itherefore desire the present embodiment to be considered in all respectsas illustrative and not restrictive, as is in fact clear in several areaand a Wooden bar handle, theV shovel adapted for knocked-down shipmentfor subsequentassembly through the medium of interconnecting meanscomprising ya fitting having a channeled portion with out-turned an gessecured to the back of the blade at its rearward side and providing areinforcementV for the same, the channelV being open yat the rear toreceiveV within it the end of said handle entered between the same andthe blade, the channeled i y portion of said Vfitting having alongV itsinner side va keyway opening at the rearward end thereof, there being anobstruction in the forward part of thekeyway including an abruptshoulder at the forward end thereof providing a forwardly facing lockingshoulder and a more oblique portion at the rearward end of saidobstruction, and said Y handle nicely llingthe space between the channelandthe Y,

blade and having a staple with arms driven into the wood of the handleso that the staple crossbar is disposedlongi-V tudinally of the handleand forms a key fitting the key-V Y Way of the blade and to be guidedthereby, said staple-Y crossbar key presenting a rearwardly facingshoulder Vto engage the forwardly facing locking shoulder ofthe bladefitting when the key is moved past the latter.

References Cited the le of thisl patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,159,316Gifford Q ---t Nov. 2, 1915V 1,433,163 1 waters f 001.221,1922 1,974,027Y Knick i sept. 1 8, 1934 2,208,741: Veeder Y July/23,1940 2,852,874Grubb f t sept. 23, 195s Y FOREIGN PATENTS 2,3181y rGreat Britain T Lkof 1886

